Canyon's Choice - Taylor Rylan Page 0,1

obviously wasn’t intended for me after all, my wolf didn’t show any signs of disappointment, even if I did. “But I do think that perhaps the younger Dane should meet his namesake,” I said as I gestured to where my brother Wren had come into the room carrying my nephew, Dane. Dane was seven months old now and the light of my brother’s life. Well, him and his mate, Sterling.

I helped get the group settled into rooms upstairs, my mind only half on the task. What I really wanted to do was go home and…what? Nothing, because I didn’t do much of anything. I helped Forest when he needed it, but otherwise, I pretty much kept to myself. I’d long ago given up my position of professor at the local college. My wolf wanted our mate, and I’d set out to find them.

I knew that some didn’t receive their gift of mate for several centuries, and I only hoped that it wasn’t going to be the case for me, but it was looking as if that was going to be how it was. Was it possible that the fates got things wrong again though? It had to be because Elwood was very much mated, and I couldn’t scent him at all. What did that all mean?

Once everyone was settled, I decided I’d been around the pack long enough and snuck my way out the front door.

“Canyon.”

I stopped because I knew if I didn’t, Forest would follow me home. “Are you okay?” my brother asked as I felt a hand land on my shoulder.

“I’m fine. He wasn’t ever mine, so it’s not like I lost anything. He smelled no different to me than the others did. My wolf felt no pull, nothing.”

“I’m really sorry. I know you had gotten excited about the message.”

I shrugged. “For whatever reason, it wasn’t meant to be. Maybe my mate’s dead. Perhaps I’ll never get mine. It happens, you know.”

“No. I don’t believe that. Elwood was intended for Eric, but after the things that happened with River and then Alistair took care of it, the fates said Elwood was to be yours.”

“Obviously not,” I said as I met Forest’s eyes before I walked off. I needed to be alone. I needed to figure out what exactly I was going to do because I wasn’t sure I could stay in Timber Valley. I wasn’t going to find my mate here. And it wasn’t looking like I was going to be a lucky one and have my mate show up. That meant I needed to find him. He had to be out there somewhere.

One

Canyon

I was still in Timber Valley. I couldn’t figure out quite why, but I was. There was something going on that kept my wolf firmly rooted in this tiny town. But if I got any more smiley, people were going to start wondering if I’d finally lost it. I looked like a damn idiot.

“Hey, Canyon. How have you been?”

I knew that voice and that scent. I turned, ready to see the wolf I’d been told was to be mine, only he wasn’t.

“Hi, Elwood. Where’s Theo?” I asked a bit too harshly. No wonder people often thought I was a grouch. I was.

“He’s changing Noah.”

I nodded because what else could I do? Elwood was mated to Theo. Elwood had given Theo a son, Noah. What more could I say? He wasn’t mine. He wasn’t meant to be mine obviously.

“That’s good. Are you and Theo happy here? Settled in?”

Elwood laughed at me, which caused me to smile again. Dammit.

“You asked us that the last time. We’re good. I’m really enjoying being around my brother again. It sucks that our parents felt they needed to go on looking for others though. I wish they’d settle back down and relax.”

“Not all are able to do that. Perhaps when you have a few more pups they’ll be back and decide Timber Valley is perfect for them.” I hadn’t had a clue as to if that was true or not, but it seemed to make the omega in front of me smile, which…dammit, caused me to smile again.

“There you are. Is everything okay?” Theo said as he walked up to us. He had Noah in his arms, and I couldn’t help but peek at the two-month-old and smile. Dammit. Theo noticed and held his son a bit farther away from his chest, giving me a better look.

“He’s adorable. Congratulations again, you two. You should certainly get in line for the food